Sleep Peacefully
by ShaduofTexitar
Summary: More fluff than anything. Joey is unaware of his problem. Serenity finds out, and realizes it's only a matter of time.
1. Ohno

Shadu: This is a very serious story with a very real threat/disease. I'm in sort of a sadistic/depressed mood. NO idea why, but I am. Enjoy the fruits of my mood.

Serenity laid in bed at Mai's house, listening to her brother snore loudly. They had been invited to stay there for a while. She didn't mind that Joey was so close and loud, she was happy that he was there. She liked having him around. She liked being around him. She kind of liked hearing him snore; it was like her reassurence. She liked listening to the rhythmic sound of his raspy breathing.

She stood up to go to the bathroom and her path just happened to pass by Joey's room. She stopped suddenly when his snoring ceased. He didn't mumble, or toss, or anything. He just laid there, soundless. Serenity froze. Was she just imagining her brother not breathing? She counted the seconds. One, two, three, four, five; but nothing, not a sound was emitted from Joey's throat. Six, seven, eight, nine, ten; still, Joey laid silent. Eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen; she was about to go in and give him CPR when a strangled breath was suddenly sucked painfully into his lungs and his labored breathing returned to him. His labored breathing soon turned into its normal snoring. Serenity lingered a little longer before continuing.

She was almost fearful to leave Joey; fearful that he might stop breathing again, and this time, won't start back in on his own. However, when she passed back by, he was snoring normally, as if it had never happened. She laid there, listening to her brother again. Ten minutes passed, and nothing happened. But then, his snoring stopped again. Serenity shot out of bed, counting the seconds again, as she raced to his bed. Twelve, thirteen, fourteen. Then, another painful gasp of air rushed into his lungs and his breathing returned to him.

She couldn't stand this. She brought her pillow and a sleeping bag into Joey's room and laid down by his bed. She listened to his steady snoring. Right now, after what she had just experienced, that was very comforting. She kept an ear out for him, and she was almost asleep when it happened again. Joey's snoring stopped. She jumped up and put her ear on Joey's chest. She could hear his heart, but no air coming into his lungs at all. He had stopped breathing all together. She put her fingers on Joey's nose to clamp it closed and forced a breath into Joey's lungs. Joey sat up suddenly, tossing Serenity back a little. He took a couple heaving gulps of air before his breathlessness had subsided. Joey looked at Serenity as though she were crazy.

"What are you doin' in here?" Joey asked.

"You weren't breathing," Serenity stated.

"Wha? Wha'd ya mean?" Joey rose an eyebrow.

"You-you mean you don't remember?" Serenity asked, stunned.

"Remember, remember what?" Joey asked.

"Just a second ago, you stopped breathing," Serenity told him.

"What are you talking about?" Joey demanded, obviously confused. "I was sleeping just fine until I feel you forcing air into my lungs, which was very painful by the way."

"But Joey, I know what I heard and saw," Serenity protested.

"Listen sis, nothing's wrong wit me, but if it makes you feel better, you can sleep in here tonight," Joey told her. "Just don't do dat again unless it's absolutely nessicary."

Serenity nodded. She laid down as Joey laid back down himself. She wanted to go to sleep, but her fear wouldn't let her without a fight. Her brother fell asleep quickly and his snoring soon filled the room. She listened. Joey slept on, unaware of his sister's uneasiness. Then, his snoring stopped again. Serenity counted the seconds yet again. Thriteen this time. She didn't know when it happened, but she finally fell asleep sometime, but still kept an ear out for Joey's snoring.

It was late morning when Serenity woke up. Joey was just waking as well.

"Morning Joey," Serenity greeted happily.

"Yeah, mornin' sis," Joey greeted back sleepily.

THERE'S SOMETHING DEFINITELY WRONG WITH HIM, Serenity thought.

The two had breakfast. But Joey wasn't hungry, for once. He barely touched his food. Now Serenity knew something was wrong. He was always hungry. But for him to not be wasn't natural.

"Joey, what's the matter?" Serenity inquired.

"Gotta major headache," Joey stated.

"Want me to get some asprin?" Serenity asked.

"No, it'll pass in a little, they always do," Joey told her.

"You mean this isn't the first one?" Serenity nearly choked.

"Yeah, I've been having them in the morning pretty regularly for as long as I can remember," Joey told her.

SINCE WHEN? Serenity's mind asked.

"I just remembered, I needed to call a friend of mine," Serenity lied as she stood up from the table.

Joey didn't say anything as he watched her go. However, confusion was plastered all over his face. Who was she going to call?

Serenity went to her room to call. Luckily, she had a phone in her room. She picked it up and dialed.


	2. Definition

"Mrs. Wheeler," Serenity's mom answered the phone.

"Hi mom," Serenity greeted.

"Hey sweetie," Mrs. Wheeler said happily. "Are you having a good time?"

"Yes, but there's something concerning me," Serenity confessed.

"Really, well what is it?" Mrs. Wheeler's voice darkened a little with concern.

"It's about Joey," Serenity stated.

There was a breif silence and then, "Go on."

"Last night, while he was sleeping, I heard him snoring, and that's normal," Serenity explained. "But when I passed his room going to another, I heard his snoring stop. And pretty soon I realized that he wasn't breathing at all. I counted the seconds and he wasn't breathing at all for like fifteen seconds. And then he breathed in real suddenly, which sounded like it was painful to him, and soon went back to snoring. Then, about ten minutes later, I think it happened again. I went into his room, because I was afraid that he may need my help and it happened yet again. But this time, I forced a breath into him, and he woke up and he said it was painful. But then when I told him what happened, he didn't remember anything."

Serenity fell silent as she let her mom digest this information. Serenity wanted her mom to say something. To tell her that it was late at night and that it was just her imagination. But those words never came. Instead, she heard words she'd never wanted to hear.

"I never thought it would get this bad," Mrs. Wheeler sighed.

"What do you mean?" Serenity asked, shocked.

"Joey's had a disease all his life, Sleep Apnea I think it was, but he's never known about it," Mrs. Wheeler told Serenity. "However, it was never that bad, and I didn't think that it needed any inspection, so I left it alone. If it really has gotten worse over the years, it would never be detected; Joey's father would never take him to the doctor. So its severity would never be noticed."

Serenity was silent. What could she say? And why hadn't she noticed it before?

"Serenity, dear, I have to go, but if Joey get's any worse, please call me," Mrs. Wheeler said.

"Alright mom, thanks," Serenity replied.

Then Serenity hung up the phone. She sat there, thinking, and then a thought hit her.

"Mai!" she called into the house as she poked her head out of the door.

"Yes Serenity?" Mai called back, as she was at the end of the hall.

"Come here, I need to talk to you in private," Serenity stated.

Mai came to Serenity and into her room, where Serenity started explaining.

"Listen, last night, there were periods of time where Joey wasn't breathing," Serenity explained.

"Is he okay?" Mai asked.

"He seems to be," Serenity told her.

She explained to Mai about exactly what happened last night and the conversation between her and her mother.

"I'm really worried Mai, what if it's serious?" Serenity said after she had finished.

"Hon, I don't mean to scar you, but anything that causes someone to stop breathing entirely is serious," Mai stated. "However, there is something we can do. Follow me."

Mai lead Serenity to the small library that Mai had in her house. Scanning quickly over the books, Mai soon found the one she wanted and pulled it from the shelf.

"What did you say it was called?" Mai asked.

"Sleep Apnea, I think," Serenity stated.

Mai flipped through the pages until she found what she was looking for.

"Serenity, here," Mai beckoned as she walked to the desk in the study.

They both looked at the page.

_Sleep apnea is a condition characterized by episodes where a person's breathing stops while sleeping. __For unknown reasons, in deep sleep, breathing can stop for periods of time around 10 seconds or more. Following that are sudden attempts to breathe causing a lighter stage of sleep, resulted in fragmented, unrestful sleep causing daytime drowsiness. Usually, episodes of heavy snoring begin soon after falling asleep and will continue regularly for a while, generally becoming louder. Then it is interupted by silence in which no breathing is taking place. This period is then interrupted by a loud snort and gasp and then the snoring returns back as it was. This happens frequently throughout the entire night. It is important to emphasize that often, the person who has obstructive sleep apnea does not remember the episodes of apnea during the night. _

_Symptoms__ are: _

_loud snoring _

_periods of not breathing (apnea) _

_awakening not rested in the morning _

_abnormal daytime sleepiness, including falling asleep at _

_inappropriate times _

_morning headaches _

_recent weight gain _

_limited attention _

_memory loss _

_poor judgment _

_personality changes _

_lethargy _

_overall swelling _

_confusion _

_high blood pressure _

_A complete medical history taken by a health care practitioner is the most important diagnostic tool. Often, a survey that asks a series of questions about daytime sleepiness, sleep quality and bedtime habits is given. A physical examination of the mouth, neck and throat (oropharynx) is important to detect abnormalities that may predispose.  
Tests may include:_

_sleep studies _

_an ECG to show arrhythmias during sleep _

_an arterial blood gases to show low oxygen or elevated _

_carbon dioxide _

_echocardiogram to evaluate the function of the heart _

_The goal of Treatment is to keep the airway open to prevent apneas during sleep. A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), a form of mechanical breathing assistance that involves the use of a specially designed mask worn over the nose or nose and mouth at night, may be prescribed._

_Mechanical devices inserted into the mouth at night to keep the jaw forward are being studied as a form of treatment.__ When treated correctly, obstructive sleep apnea usually disappears. Many persons, however, are unable or unwilling to tolerate CPAP, and the syndrome continues._

_Complications_

_Hypertension _

_Right-sided heart failure _

_Abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia) _

_Excessive carbon dioxide levels (hypercapnia) _

_Sleep deprivation_

_Call your health care provider if you have excessive daytime sleepiness, or if you or your _

_family notice symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea. __  
__Decreased consciousness, extreme somnolence, hallucinations, personality changes, and persistent confusion can indicate an emergency. _

Mai and Serenity were stunned speechless as they turned to look at each other. It was serious.

Shadu: Review. I didn't make this up now; Sleep Apnea is a very real disease and danger. Review. I have done my homework. Review.


End file.
